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eight
“What the fuck is your problem?”
I pulled out my earbuds and looked up to find a very angry-looking Renata standing over my desk, obviously ready and willing to get much louder than she’d been when my music was still blasting in my ears.
“Ren… can I help you?” I asked, confused about what I’d done to draw such rage, so early in the morning.
Her nostrils flared. “Yes, you sure as hell can, by telling me why in the world you took it upon yourself to tell one of our clients to “never come back”. Who do you think you are?”
“The man who owns a third of this business,” I answered, completely calm. “And I’m guessing you’re talking about Monica Stuart?”
“You’re goddamn right,” she snapped. “As much as that woman has been through in the last week, you cannot tell me she deserves you being an asshole to her.”
I dropped the earbuds onto my desk, and pushed away the hard drive I’d been working on. “What she’s been through? Look, there’s more to this than you know, so—”
“Oh please. You’re talking aboutyoubeing “NoRestForTheWicked”? I figured that out in two minutes alone with her laptop, did you forget who I am?”
I raised my eyebrows. “Are you taking this personal?”
“Yeah, actually, I kinda am. I told this woman that we would get her back on the path to normalcy, and now that’s out the window. She came to me – tous– for help, and you send her away? Why, so nobody would know your little secret?”
“Because I got arrested for fuckingmurderbehind my association with her. And Ren… youknowthat I can’t be wrapped up in any bullshit.”
Renata let out a sigh. “Yes, I know. I understand perfectly, Chad. You were fucking CIA, I understand that you need to keep a low profile. But I’ve never known you to be… afuckboy.”
“Whoa,” I said, raising my hands. “A fuckboy? Seriously?”
She nodded. “Yeah, seriously. I saw how long you and Monica have been friends. Only afuckboywould be selfish enough to abandon a woman he’s been as intimate with as you and she have. Yeah, you got arrested. I recognize how fucked up that is, but you are not a pussy – far from it. So get over it, andhelp me help her.”
My jaw tightened as I leaned back in my chair, spotting the obvious passion in Renata’s demeanor. But what I didn’t get was, “Help her with what, Ren? It’s a murder investigation. It’s not like there’s shit we can do about it.”
“Not the murder investigation.” She shook her head. “But the hacking? The break-in?
I frowned. “Wait a minute… break in?”
“Yes, a break in, at her home. Panties scattered all over the place, art and books destroyed, roses smashed on her front doorstep.”
“Was she home when it happened?” I asked.
“For the break-in, no. But the roses were left at the door while she was inside, after discovering it. She called me, and I called Marcus, who called Sam.”
“Marcus didn’t say shit to me about that.”
“That’s something you’ll have to take up with him. But it’s irrelevant. With everything going on, I can’t help thinking it has to be connected.”
“Sounds like the former FBI agent in you coming out,” I said, which drew a smile from her.
“Yeah. And I’m trying to pull theAgentCalloway back out of you. I’ve seen your files, remember? You used to rock with Inez and Savannah back in the day, andthosebitches are the toughest women I know besides Mimi. And Quentin is your blood. Iftheyrespect you, I know you’re a bad motherfucker, and between us and the rest of the team, we can figure this out.”
I sat back in my seat, shaking my head. “Ren… I left all of that behind me for a reason. For adamnedgood reason.”
“Which I understand, but—”
“I’mnotgonna be dragged back into it. Especially when I have Kay to consider.”
Before Renata could respond, the door to my office swung open again, and I looked up to see Quentin.
“Hey…” he said, looking suspiciously between the two of us. “Y’all good in here? Steven said he saw Renata storm in here upset about something… I don’t need to referee, do I?”
